Semiconductor devices are typically formed on a semiconductor die, which is then packaged in a package including a substrate. Substrate capacity and cost is a concern for the microelectronics industry. A substrate can include so-called vias, which are conductive structures to connect different metal layers in the substrate. As advances occur, the cost for laser drilling vias is increasing due to the increasing number of vias and decreasing size of the vias, which forces the innovation of new laser technologies. Due to the increasing number of vias, the throughput time of substrate manufacturing is increased.
Substrates can be formed of organic material including a core and multiple layers of patterned copper separated by dielectric polymer and interconnected by vias. The vias can be formed by carbon dioxide (CO2) laser drilling. This process can be time consuming, and limited to via diameters greater than about 50 microns. Further, practical concerns such as laser via to pad alignment and manufacturing throughput time restrict substrate design to a single via diameter per buildup (BU) layer.